The Birth of Venus
by Sullen Kitty
Summary: ON HIATUS. Clarice Starling has been put on forced temporary leave by the Bureau. When she goes to Florence to track down Lecter, she’s put on Il Monstro’s hit list. What will happen when the good Doctor finds out?
1. Entrance

Title: The Birth of Venus

Title: The Birth of Venus

Summary: Clarice Starling has been put on forced temporary leave by the Bureau. When she goes to Florence to track down Lecter, she's put on Il Monstro's hit list. What will happen when the good Doctor finds out?

Disclaimer: Unfortunately, the ownership is not mine of anything in this story but the plotline.

Setting: Modern day, in the movie-type world.

A/N: I don't think I changed Hannibal all too much, but Clarice perhaps more than I would have liked. I tried to keep them as IC as possible.

--

Special Agent Clarice Starling stepped into the street and looked around the square, shielding her eyes from the bright summer rays with her hand. The first order of business, she thought, would be to buy a good pair of sunglasses. Second to find Doctor Lecter.

She shrugged off an apprehensive shiver. If she hadn't known better, she would have said she felt like she was being watched.

Brushing off the feeling, she strode confidently into the heart of Florence.

--

Clarice had been being watched… but not by whom she'd thought. Out of the shadows of a peddler's stand stepped a middle-aged man. He nervously put his hands into the pockets of his work clothes as he considered her back.

Normally, he did not go for single women. Lovers, always lovers. Lovers to be arranged in perfect synchronization with Master Botecelli's paintings.

But this one…

He watched her receding body as she absentmindedly put her copperish hair into a ponytail.

But this one was far too good to pass up.

The man the papers called Il Monstro stepped back into the shadows to consider what to do.

--

A/N: Short, but I promise it gets wayyyy better. xD I need at least 3 reviews to update. :)


	2. Deep Roller

Title: The Birth of Venus

Title: The Birth of Venus

Summary: Clarice Starling has been put on forced temporary leave by the Bureau. When she goes to Florence to track down Lecter, she's put on Il Monstro's hit list. What will happen when the good Doctor finds out?

Disclaimer: Unfortunately, the ownership is not mine of anything in this story but the plotline.

A/N: Inspector Pazzi is not on Lecter's trail, he's still working on the Il Monstro case.

--

Doctor Hannibal Lecter, M.D., had happened to be perusing a china shop when he caught sight of a flash of familiarly tawny hair.

"Surely not."

He'd read she was on-leave, but come here, after him?

She _was_ a deep roller, after all…

He left the shop without buying anything, throwing the door open so the delicate little bells attached to it clanked rather than tinkled. The shopkeeper looked reproachfully at his retreating back as he threw out a hurried, "_Mi scusi, mi scusi_." She shook her head and continued polishing a porcelain bowl.

He made sure the white hat was firmly placed on his head as he continued the unexpected pursuit.

He rounded a corner fountain and a group of scholars before stopping short.

There she was, the face of the woman he'd least expected to see in Florence, Italy – Special Agent Clarice Starling, F.B.I.

He turned towards the fountain next to him and put his hands in the water, the coolness of it bringing him back to his senses. What was she doing here? He'd meant the skin cream as a clue, sure, but –

_Ohh._

He nodded to himself.

The F.B.I. had forced her to take leave after Paul Krendler had been payed off by Mason Verger to frame her for withholding information.

Paul Krendler… he really would have to be eaten one day. Preferably by someone with a good palate.

So Clarice had come here after having her privileges revoked, hoping to catch him and redeem her good name.

Hannibal shook his head. "Clarice, Clarice, when will you learn that the Bureau will never come to love you as you have it? Especially now that Jacky Boy's gone…"

Out of the corner of his eye he saw Clarice thank the officer she'd been talking to and leave, startling the group of pigeons at her feet. The flock flew off, a cloud of fluttering black, grey and white, framing her pale face beautifully.

Hannibal smiled to himself. Framed by her brethren the deep rollers.

That was almost poetic.

--

A/N: Wow! That exceeded my expectations – FOUR reviews the day I posted it! Yay! You all make me very happy.

But I'm holding you hostage again. I've finished the next few chapters, and if you want to find out what happens next I need FIVE more reviews. Come on. I know you won't disappoint!

And just so's you all know, the next chapters get way longer. :) Sorry 'bout the shortness.

-Sahra


	3. A Change of Venue

Title: The Birth of Venus

Title: The Birth of Venus

Summary: Clarice Starling has been put on forced temporary leave by the Bureau. When she goes to Florence to track down Lecter, she's put on Il Monstro's hit list. What will happen when the good Doctor finds out?

Disclaimer: Unfortunately, the ownership is not mine of anything in this story but the plotline.

A/N: The dress and shoes do actually exist. I saw them in _Vogue_ a couple of months ago and thought they were amazing.

--

Clarice Starling looked around her hotel room, making sure to check it for bugs before settling on the bed with a sigh, satisfied.

The room was acceptable. It would serve the purpose as her "Hannibal House" rather well, she thought grimly, thinking back to the scrap of paper that had been tacked to her basement door at the Bureau – presumably by Paul Krendler.

Now if there was ever a man that deserved to be eaten…

She shook her head. No time for thoughts of fun now.

She stuck the three handguns she'd brought under the mattress and began unpacking her suitcase, carefully placing her clothes in their respective drawers. She'd brought the usual khakis and T-shirts, a few hats, but she'd just bought a beautiful dress that she was sure even Doctor Lecter couldn't fault her taste for.

It was a gorgeous felted-silk, wool and chiffon number by Bottega Veneta. Black, with cream chiffon peeking out at the top, it was strapless and accentuated her torso before spilling into a lovely midnight waterfall of fabric.

She's gotten the shoes to go with it too, of course, pewter leather heels with a bow detail at the front by Gina Couture.

Everything was so expensive it made her dizzy to think about it – the dress was ₤2,920 and the shoes by themselves were ₤495. Absolutely ridiculous.

But she'd felt the need to be frivolous. After all, she needed something to wear to the opera, didn't she? And Doctor Lecter couldn't just pass by such an incredible dress without saying _something_.

That justified it for her. That and the thought that Paul Krendler would never, ever see her in it.

Good enough for her.

She hung it up on the back of the closet door and pursed her lips in thought. She couldn't go to the opera wearing the same dress _every time_.

Sounds like someone needed to go on a shopping spree to the most expensive stores in town – where, no doubt, people with impeccable taste shopped.

And a person with impeccable taste was exactly who she hoped to capture.

--

A/N: To silentlamb9, Brietjuh, Ladydalek, and LovesToCry, thank you for reviewing. And even though she's a bit insulting, thank you too to xBlondieBeaux. But next time you want to call me egotistical, check out your penname. It's a bit hypocritical. :)

I'll let you guys off the hook and only demand two reviews to update. 333


	4. Hide & Seek

Title: The Birth of Venus

Title: The Birth of Venus

Summary: Clarice Starling has been put on forced temporary leave by the Bureau. When she goes to Florence to track down Lecter, she's put on Il Monstro's hit list. What will happen when the good Doctor finds out?

Disclaimer: Unfortunately, the ownership is not mine of anything in this story but the plotline.

A/N: Penelope Cruz wears Clarice's outfit in an issue of _Vogue_.

--

Doctor Hannibal Lecter, M.D., looked out the window of the suit-and-tie shop in which he was browsing.

God, he just couldn't seem to get any shopping in at all with Clarice Starling in town, could he? Next thing he knew he'd be buying in bulk at some hideous place like Costco, and he couldn't have that, could he?

No, absolutely not.

He shuddered at the thought of eating off of a paper plate and ducked behind a rack of ascots as she looked through the window.

He admired her taste. The Dolce & Gabbana sunglasses she was wearing were undoubtedly very expensive. They looked good on her too.

He'd busied himself, pretending to be interested in a horrible mint-green satin ascot when it hit him.

She _wanted_ him to admire her taste, to think she looked good in her new-and-improved wardrobe, so he'd send her a note hinting as to his current whereabouts.

He chuckled to himself. Captured by couture. That was a good one.

Since she wasn't here in an official capacity, she couldn't do much, but she could point out his existence to the local authorities, and that would ruin his pleasant stay at the Capponi Library, now, wouldn't it?

Yes, it would.

He'd have to get to her first, or else evade her completely until she was called back to the States.

He watched her walk off, loving her black-and-white outfit – all by Mango, all straight out of _Vogue_. She wasn't used to walking in heels, but he appreciated the effort she was putting in to capture him.

He suddenly cursed her for being right about him – he could not go without sending a note to her about her wonderful new wardrobe.

--

A/N: Yes, I apologize about how short the chapters are. So because I love you, I've posted up to Chapter 6. Hope you enjoy!


	5. Identification

Title: The Birth of Venus

Title: The Birth of Venus

Summary: Clarice Starling has been put on forced temporary leave by the Bureau. When she goes to Florence to track down Lecter, she's put on Il Monstro's hit list. What will happen when the good Doctor finds out?

Disclaimer: Unfortunately, the ownership is not mine of anything in this story but the plotline.

--

Sandro Bortellega was out buying pasta when she swept past him in a cloud of L'Air de Temps.

Her gorgeously silky copperish hair flew out behind her and fanned as she stumbled, her heel caught between cobblestones. She righted herself and continued on with embarrassed dignity.

Had Sandro known her, he could have told her that the ladies in Florence who walked casually in heels had perfected the method of always walking on the cobblestones, never between. He could have told her of a marvelous shoe store over in the neighboring plaza. He could have told her what really killed Lorenzo de Medici, had she cared to ask.

Unfortunately, he did not know the lady. He knew of her, the beautiful woman who came and lived in the hotel only a few blocks from his home. He knew she had impeccable taste.

He knew she was the most beautiful creature who had walked the streets of Florence in at least a century.

And he knew she was going to have to die.

A tap on the shoulder startled him. The shopkeeper prodded him with the bag of tortellini he'd asked for, demanding the money. He paid for it and left in a hurry.

Sandro Bortellega was thankful no one else knew of the lady's existence. He wanted to keep her to himself, to learn from her face later so he could perfect his masterpiece's looks.

Il Monstro went home, thinking about the lovely woman and how to kill her.


	6. La Vita Nuova

Hannibal Lecter walked into the opera house, expecting to be greeted by the Italian equivalent of a SWAT team and a shower of

Title: The Birth of Venus

Summary: Clarice Starling has been put on forced temporary leave by the Bureau. When she goes to Florence to track down Lecter, she's put on Il Monstro's hit list. What will happen when the good Doctor finds out?

Disclaimer: Unfortunately, the ownership is not mine of anything in this story but the plotline.

--

Hannibal Lecter walked into the opera house, expecting to be greeted by the Italian equivalent of a SWAT team and a shower of gunfire. Instead, he was greeted by soft music and the welcome sight of Clarice Starling.

A sharp intake of breath startled him before he realized it had been his own, gazing at the transformed creature.

He was almost sure the dress was Bottega Veneta. The dark, slightly shimmery cloth offset her pale complexion pleasantly, and the creamy chiffon at the top was a nice touch. Her tawny hair was pulled up into a high, neat ponytail with a black ribbon. He admired the sweeping lines of her long neck and collarbones before paying attention to his surroundings.

He was thankful she hadn't told anyone about her suspicions of his being here. The opera was the one indulgence he meant to keep while she was here, even if he couldn't shop as out in the open as he'd like.

The lights dimmed and he found a seat in the direct middle of the row opposite hers, so he could look at her but she'd have a job finding him.

The music began, the woman to sing in a lovely falsetto that would have brought tears to the eyes of any cultured personage in the house.

That is, any cultured personage paying attention to the music.

Hannibal was staring directly at Clarice, keeping record of her breathing rate, sniffing the air slightly for a trace of her scent, watching her face light up and her small long-fingered hands applaud as the song ended.

She turned her head to return his stare before he could avert his gaze and waved slightly, her French manicured nails glinting in the low lighting.

He acknowledged her with a nod of his head. What was she doing, waving at him and not shooting him?

Still looking at him, she shook her head no, saying she wasn't going to arrest him. She then turned her attention back to the opera.

Hannibal was perplexed as he, too, returned to the music. If there was one thing he absolutely knew about Special Agent Starling, it was that she never lied to him.

So why in the name of Dante's _Inferno_ was she in Florence searching for him?

--

A/N: Yes, voila, Chapter 6. Can I have three reviews before I update, please? I thrive on them. xD

Thanks to the people who've been reviewing! :)


	7. The Good People

Title: The Birth of Venus

Title: The Birth of Venus

Summary: Clarice Starling has been put on forced temporary leave by the Bureau. When she goes to Florence to track down Lecter, she's put on Il Monstro's hit list. What will happen when the good Doctor finds out?

Disclaimer: Unfortunately, the ownership is not mine of anything in this story but the plotline.

--

At the outdoors after-party, Clarice chatted with some of the singers, complimenting them on their fine voices and impeccable ranges.

To the far left she saw the doctor waiting for her, two drinks in hand. She excused herself and made her way over to him, accepting the flute of champagne he offered her and leaning against the wooden fence behind him.

"To what do I owe the honor of your visiting me in Italy, Clarice?" he asked, turning to face her. "And without arresting me, no less."

She shrugged. "I'm on leave from the Bureau and thought I might see if I could track down your whereabouts." She delicately sipped her champagne.

Hannibal watched her throat bob in fascination before continuing.

"It's not just _that_, Clarice. You 'thought you might try to find me'?" he asked, mimicking her voice with a childishly contemptuous undertone to it. "You mean, you thought you might try to trap me with your immaculate new wardrobe, don't you? What possessed you to go on your shopping spree?"

She smiled. "Well, trapping you was, of course, the main thing." She grimaced. "And the other is the fact that Paul Krendler will never, ever, get a glimpse of me in _any_ of these outfits."

"But you don't mind if _I_ catch a glimpse or two."

"Not at all. In fact, I'd prefer you to stare."

She calmly drained her champagne flute under his full stare.

"How unexpected of you, Clarice. I admit, I have seen you around. I did think you came to find me with justice for the good folk in mind."

She shrugged again. "Who's to say _we_ aren't the good folk, Doctor…?" She looked at him questioningly for his alias.

"Doctor Fell."

"_Dottore Fell_," she said, pronouncing the Italian with a passable accent.

He nodded. "And why, Clarice, have you all of a sudden decided to give up on the Bureau? It's your life."

She shook her head, her ponytail whipping back and forth. "No. For a while my sole goal has been just to track you down. Now that I've accomplished that, I don't really have a purpose. Might as well stay in Florence until I figure a new one out."

"Might as well stay in Florence with your _guns_ until you figure out your new purpose?" he asked expectantly.

She pursed her lips. "I only brought three."

"Why did you bring guns at all if you weren't going to arrest me?" He finished his champagne.

She raised her eyebrows. "I've met criminals who have gone mad and needed to be put down before, Doctor. I'm not about to not do my job just because the criminal intrigues me."

He waved his hand in dismissal. "Disregarding the fact you are now of the opinion that I'm not mad - I intrigue you?"

She met his gaze. "Of course. Don't I intrigue you too?"

Smiling as she made him think, Clarice stood up and took the doctor's arm. "I'm thirsty. Ready for another drink?"

Hannibal chuckled and led her to the bar.

--

A/N: I apologize very deeply for not updating sooner.

**Graven Lament:** Honestly, I have extremely limited experience when it comes to opera, so I figured someone singing falsetto might be a safe bet. But you caught me. Thank you for educating me on the finer points of opera, haha.

**Anonymous:** Aw, don't be anonymous on me, haha. Don't you worry, Hannibal had several well-planned escape methods. Whether he will ever use them or not is what you'll have to find out… XD


	8. The Dottore

Title: The Birth of Venus

Title: The Birth of Venus

Summary: Clarice Starling has been put on forced temporary leave by the Bureau. When she goes to Florence to track down Lecter, she's put on Il Monstro's hit list. What will happen when the good Doctor finds out?

Disclaimer: Unfortunately, the ownership is not mine of anything in this story but the plotline.

--

Sandro saw her come out of the opera.

He casually leaned up against the hood of his car and watched her effortlessly glide across the pavement…

…attached to none other than Dottore Fell.

"_Fongoul!_"

He spat on the ground.

Why did the Dottore, of all the people in Florence, have to like this one? He liked the Dottore. He respected the Dottore. He worked for the Dottore.

And he'd figured this pretty lady would stay single, one entity, just like his Mirella.

But no.

He glowered at the couple as they took off.

This was getting complicated. He needed to think.


	9. The Learning Process

Title: The Birth of Venus

Title: The Birth of Venus

Summary: Clarice Starling has been put on forced temporary leave by the Bureau. When she goes to Florence to track down Lecter, she's put on Il Monstro's hit list. What will happen when the good Doctor finds out?

Disclaimer: Unfortunately, the ownership is not mine of anything in this story but the plotline.

--

They walked along the canal, arm in arm.

"That dress… Bottega Veneta?" Hannibal questioned Clarice.

She smiled. "Of course. Do you like it? I figured you couldn't resist at least sending me a note about it later if you saw me."

He smiled back at her, his teeth glinting in the moonlight. "You were correct."

Not many people saw Hannibal Lecter smile and lived to tell about it. Not many people saw Hannibal Lecter's teeth at all and lived to tell about it.

But then again, who could Starling tell?

She sighed and looked up at the sky. "It's nice tonight." Then, abruptly changing the topic, "I'm kind of hungry. Do you want to get something to eat?"

He pursed his lips and nodded. "I know of a good café near where I live."

She looked surprised. "You're telling me, an F.B.I. agent, that something is near where you live? You've been awfully open tonight, telling me your alias and everything. Is this a one-time thing?"

He led her back onto the street. "Never ask. It spoils the surprise."

She nodded sagely. "True."

They walked quietly for a while.

"Clarice," Hannibal said, breaking the silence, "do you bottle your feelings up, as some do, or let them out whenever they come around?"

She looked thoughtful. "Whenever they don't conflict with my work I let them out, I suppose." She looked at him. "I've been awfully open about my feelings towards you tonight, haven't I?"

"I appreciate the candor," he assured her, wondering what in Leonardo da Vinci's name she meant by that.

She laughed, startling him. "Oh, I see. You're wondering what they are."

"You can tell me, if you like, or just leave me to my own machinations," he said neutrally.

She kissed his cheek. "Tell me what you've deduced when you're done."

They arrived at the café, which was, surprisingly, still full of people. Clarice looked at Hannibal.

"Florence," he answered. "The city that never sleeps."

Clarice grinned.

After the waiter had taken their orders ("Two café au laits and some biscotti") Clarice looked at Hannibal. "Have you finished attempting to decipher me yet?" she asked, untying her hair and shaking it loose.

He shook his head. "Not at all." He leaned forward, his steepled fingers resting on the table. "Suppose you tell me and I'll let you know if that coincides with my evaluation of you."

She laughed. "That's hardly fair play, Doctor." She raised an eyebrow. "But very well…"

She leaned towards him, as to whisper something, and he leaned closer, only to have her lips brush his in the gentlest of kisses.

She leaned back and gave him a look that plainly said, "Now do you get it?"

"I see," he said, straightening his tie.

"'I see'?" Clarice demanded. "What does that mean?"

"I deduced that much," he answered, thanking the waiter as he brought their coffee and biscotti.

Clarice glared at him, annoyed, through a mask of badly-concealed frustration. "So what hadn't you figured out, then?"

"How deep your feelings for me are… but I suspect even you don't know that."

Clarice nodded, assuaged, and took a bite of her biscotti. "You _are_ the doctor. So what now?"

"Now," he said, finishing off his café au lait, "I think this is where I ask you if I can walk you home."

She smiled. "Of course."

Hannibal stood up and held out his hand to her. She took it, and he pulled her up into a kiss.

When they broke apart, she smiled. "Doctors and their impropriety."

He agreed, nodding seriously. "When will they learn?"

"'They' who?" she asked playfully.

"The doctors whose patients don't enjoy being kissed by them," he answered, his eyes twinkling.

"Oh, _them_," she laughed as they left. "Yes, when will they learn?"


	10. The Morning After

Title: The Birth of Venus

Title: The Birth of Venus

Summary: Clarice Starling has been put on forced temporary leave by the Bureau. When she goes to Florence to track down Lecter, she's put on Il Monstro's hit list. What will happen when the good Doctor finds out?

Disclaimer: Unfortunately, the ownership is not mine of anything in this story but the plotline.

--

Sandro glared at the pretty woman walking down the street. Despite the fact that her hair was different and pretty – she'd waved it today – he couldn't help but be awfully mad at her.

How dare she take a partner!

How dare she?

Sandro realized he was thinking of her as Mirella, not as someone to be part of Mirella.

He gasped and mentally smacked himself. Mirella was her own person, his personal Galatea.

The dead girls had contributed their own looks to her, and Sandro fevered for the lovely new one for Mirella to be complete.

He needed to figure out a way to get to her and the Dottore quickly.

The Dottore…

His mind spun.

The Dottore had possibilities.


	11. Assurances

Title: The Birth of Venus

Title: The Birth of Venus

Summary: Clarice Starling has been put on forced temporary leave by the Bureau. When she goes to Florence to track down Lecter, she's put on Il Monstro's hit list. What will happen when the good Doctor finds out?

Disclaimer: Unfortunately, the ownership is not mine of anything in this story but the plotline.

A/N: The dress exists. It's 1,539 if you feel like buying it.

--

Hannibal looked up from his work as the buzzer rang and glanced at the monitor connected to the camera outside. He smiled slightly.

There stood Clarice, in a strapless charcoal-and-cream floral-print sundress – Marni, if he wasn't mistaken – carrying an oversized canvas tote bag. Her hair was waved today, blowing prettily in her face, and she waved up at the camera. "Good morning."

"Good morning indeed," he answered, pressing the button to unlock the gate.

She tripped lightly into his room, beaming.

"Florence has done wonders for your mood," he commented, glancing down at a sheet of music and changing the score ever so slightly.

Clarice nodded. "I know. I'm usually quite hurried with you."

"The Clarice I'm getting to know likes dragging things out."

"That I do," she agreed cheerfully, surprising him. "Do you want to get breakfast?"

He motioned to his work. "I'm actually quite busy this morning."

She smiled slightly. "I thought you might say that." Out of her tote she produced four cannolis and a paper bag of something that was superbly fragrant. "I came prepared just in case."

He pursed his lips in thought, wondering what to do with her. He hadn't gotten a chance to have breakfast, and he did like to enjoy his meals… "You can clear off the table in the hall, if you like, and we can eat in there," he said finally. "Just be careful with the papers, some of them are quite old."

She smirked. "Don't tell me someone's been bringing things home from the Capponi?"

He raised an eyebrow. "You've found out my place of employment."

She grinned. "It's not that hard if you're an F.B.I. agent."

He looked at her, waiting.

She sighed. "Fine, I asked around in a simpering little-girl voice if anyone knew anything about the wonderful man I'd met the night before at the opera, he said his name was Doctor Fell." She smiled. "Let me tell you, you are quite well-known to some of the ladies. I wouldn't have expected that of you."

"Expected what?" he called out, interested, as she swept off the clear the table.

"Expected you to be such a charmer," she called back.

He turned back to his work. "I never know where my next meal is going to come from, Clarice – I have to cover all my options."

He heard something crash to the ground. "If that was the crystal vase, it's all right."

She stepped back into the room, holding a shard of crystal in each hand. "You… haven't eaten anyone while in Florence, have you?" she asked carefully, her face ashen.

"No one but my predecessor."

"The curator at the library?"

He nodded, watching her pupils expand and contract with the information.

She finally shook her head, her hair flying out in disarray. "I'd figured that out already. No one besides him, though?"

Hannibal stood up and walked over to her.

"Clarice, I swear, I won't eat anyone while you're in Florence."

He pressed a quick kiss to her forehead and walked over to the half-cleared table, wondering what was in the paper bag.

Clarice stood there for a moment, touched the place where he'd kissed. She smiled.

For some reason, his reassurances were far more real than any she could have given herself.


	12. Shopping

Title: The Birth of Venus

Title: The Birth of Venus

Summary: Clarice Starling has been put on forced temporary leave by the Bureau. When she goes to Florence to track down Lecter, she's put on Il Monstro's hit list. What will happen when the good Doctor finds out?

Disclaimer: Unfortunately, the ownership is not mine of anything in this story but the plotline.

--

They emerge from his antiquated place of residence elegantly, she in her sundress and a wide-brimmed hat, he in a tailored suit and white fedora.

They pause at the bottom step to reach into their respective pockets and slip on their sunglasses, the designer labels flashing in the bright sunlight. Not gaudily, as some do, but just enough to show their taste and wealth.

He proffers his arm to her; she, smiling at his gesture, accepts it, slipping her own slim arm though his.

They turn and walk into the square.

--

We follow them throughout their shopping.

They stop at a used bookstore, where she peruses some of the finer points of gun handling while he picks up a few first-edition cookbooks and a copy of Dante's _Inferno_, which he presents to her with a flourish.

They stop for a casual lunch, eating on a park bench and taking turns reading passages from the volume out loud. They debate about Heaven and Hell, if there are such places. She, being raised a Protestant, has a firm belief in God. He, having lost his faith years ago, isn't so sure, but loves the poetry anyway, especially coming off of her sweet, almost-unaccented tongue.

They continue their shopping, popping into a couple of formal stores and one that sells nothing but vintage clothes. She is fascinated by them and buys what he says has worn well over the years, quietly pointing out in a few of her selections the unraveling lace and weave. She puts those back, thanking him for his help, pays for her purchases, and they leave for a quiet dinner in a candlelit restaurant.

They don't enjoy the meal half so much as the company.

His eyes reflect the candlelight, the maroon changing to crimson and vermilion when he moves. His pupils drink in her every motion, his ears everything that spills from her mouth, whether it be a simple sigh or a flurry of words. Her hands flutter like scraps of paper in the wind when she speaks, a trait he finds, surprisingly, most endearing. He notices the way she impatiently brushes her hair back from her face when she's excited about the topic of conversation and realizes she did her hair differently to see what he thought. He resolves to tell her not to do it anymore; he much prefers her comfortable and natural looking, though he is pleased at her change of attire. He smiles in thought and continues listening intently to her speak.

Her senses, while not quite as finely attuned as his, were trained differently and so pick up on other motions. How he shifts his weight when he speaks or when someone passes, how his eyes follow her hands when they move as she tries to explain something yet flick consistently from side to side to make sure no one is watching them. How he leans forward when he speaks, and his manner of speech – so careful and planned-out, though not at all rehearsed. He has never had these conversations before, and she wonders how he seems to know, before she says anything, exactly what she is going to say. She resolves to ask him how it is he does that; it's a trick she's tried and failed to master many a time before. She focuses back on the subject matter and delves once more into argument.

They leave the restaurant content with both the meal and each other.

--

A/N: I do so love this chapter. XD


	13. Stalker

Title: The Birth of Venus

Title: The Birth of Venus

Summary: Clarice Starling has been put on forced temporary leave by the Bureau. When she goes to Florence to track down Lecter, she's put on Il Monstro's hit list. What will happen when the good Doctor finds out?

Disclaimer: Unfortunately, the ownership is not mine of anything in this story but the plotline.

--

He watches both of them as they sit in the restaurant.

He wears sunglasses and a baseball cap and looks rather out of place in the high-class restaurant, and he could have spent the evening at home, but the shrimp scampi is delicious and she looks lovely.

He has heard the Dottore call the lovely lady "Clarice".

It is a pretty name, though not, he decides, as pretty as Mirella.

"Clarice," he whispers.

The Dottore's head suddenly whips around so he busies himself, calling for the check.

Surely he could not have heard him through the quiet murmurings of the other patrons?

Yet it seems he has indeed been heard. He leaves the restaurant in a hurry.

The Dottore is smart. He will have to find a way to outsmart him if he is to get to…

"Clarice."


	14. Dressing for Disgust

Title: The Birth of Venus

Title: The Birth of Venus

Summary: Clarice Starling has been put on forced temporary leave by the Bureau. When she goes to Florence to track down Lecter, she's put on Il Monstro's hit list. What will happen when the good Doctor finds out?

Disclaimer: Unfortunately, the ownership is not mine of anything in this story but the plotline.

A/N: The dress exists. It's Nina Ricci and gorgeous. Also, I stole the whole whispering lines thing from Stephanie Meyer. I just had to put it in. I love that part.

--

They arrived at the opera together.

Clarice smiled as the Doctor's acquaintances complimented her. She hadn't known him to be so social, but, she reflected, that was probably because her entire country had a search warrant out on him and a bounty on his head.

Hannibal had asked her to leave her hair down straight tonight, and she'd complied with his request. The way her hair caught the light pleased him, and her dress was perfect. It amused him especially because he knew exactly why she'd picked it out – the designer had been inspired by a bottle of L'Air de Temps to create it. The green complimented her skin and hair perfectly. He'd given her a pair of emerald cabochon earrings to wear tonight and they reflected the light in the same manner as her hair, delighting him.

When the lights dimmed for the show to begin, they both raptly payed attention to the singers. Clarice couldn't understand what they were saying, but the woman's expressions were enough to convey her message, and the Doctor whispering the words in her left ear in English made it quite possible to find the evening both pleasant musically and intensely seductive for her.

At the after party they split up, Clarice heading towards the bar to get their drinks, Hannibal to the same fence they'd met at their first night.

As Clarice took her champagne from the bartender, she heard a familiar voice behind her.

"Well, well, well. If it isn't Special Agent Starling. How are you, Starling?"

She slowly turned around to discover, with obvious disgust, Paul Krendler.

"What are _you_ doing in Florence?" she asked, her voice full of contempt.

He shrugged. "I actually came for my time off – it's Easter vacation. You," he said, looking her up and down with undisguised lust, "are just an added bonus."

The phone in her green wristlet buzzed. She held up a hand. "Hold on."

There was a text message from someone, she didn't care who, but she was thankful for the opportunity it had provided her.

She quickly sent a text message and placed the tiny Nokia back in her bag. She looked calmly at the man in front of her. "If it's all the same to you, Paul, I'd rather not spend any time with you at all."

-

Across the party, Hannibal waited patiently for Clarice to come over with their drinks.

His cell phone buzzed in his pocked. He took it out and scrolled down through the text message, a clearly hurried one from Clarice.

"pl krndlr here. ill take cr of hm. leve now."

He glanced at the bar and swiftly left.

-

Paul leered at her. "And what makes you think I'll agree to that, Starling?" He reached out a hand and put it on her shoulder. "It's certainly not from your lack of trying, I assure you."

His hand smelled strongly of bad hotel soap.

She shoved his hand away. "I know. It's because you're too thick to get it in your head that I despise you, Paul."

He was startled by her sudden burst of confidence.

She sneered, her inbred twang becoming pronounced. "We're not in the office now, Paul. I don't have to worry about the Director getting snippy if I offend you, you pompous, selfish, subservient fuck."

All of a sudden his face changed from surprised to greedily pleased. He took a step towards her. "Well, Starling, if you feel you don't have to worry about office politics… then neither do I."

He pulled her into a long, wet kiss, his hands running up and down her body.

She gasped as his mouth moved down, skimming her breasts, her nostrils filling with the scent of his horrible cheap cologne.

She shoved him off with a look of pure, unadulterated loathing and horror in her eyes. "Fuck off."

She ran outside and hailed a taxi.

--

A/N: If you look way back to the reviews of chapter 6, an anonymous person said that Hannibal wouldn't have gone to the opera without any good escape plans.

Clarice had that thought too. XD


	15. Save Me

Title: The Birth of Venus

Title: The Birth of Venus

Summary: Clarice Starling has been put on forced temporary leave by the Bureau. When she goes to Florence to track down Lecter, she's put on Il Monstro's hit list. What will happen when the good Doctor finds out?

Disclaimer: Unfortunately, the ownership is not mine of anything in this story but the plotline.

--

Hannibal walked into the hotel where Clarice was staying. He bypassed the elevators and took the stairs. Why did they have to make them so tiny? They weren't good for people with claustrophobia.

He realized he'd probably have to use them at some point in his life if he and Clarice became an item.

When he came to her door, he knocked. "Clarice?"

The door was unlocked, so he quietly pushed it open, expecting to find her on her bed asleep.

She was not.

"Clarice?"

He heard running water from inside the bathroom and muffled sobs. He slowly opened the door.

Clarice was slumped over, her shaking arms propped against the wall so she could stand, sobbing. The shower was on, and she was still in her dress.

He let out a guttural snarl that made her aware of his presence. She raised her head, her makeup-covered face clearly visible to him now. "Hannibal…"

She'd hardly had time to finish saying his name before he stepped into the shower with her and wrapped her securely in his arms so she could sob into his chest. She was dimly aware that the snarl had been due to his realizing what Krendler had done, but was mostly just thankful that he'd come to check on her. It didn't register at the time that he'd been concerned for her welfare. He was there, and that's all that currently mattered to her.

He stroked her wet hair and thought about what to do to little Pauly. There were so many ways to hurt him, _sooooo manyyyyy wayyyyyyyssssssss…_

He realized it was the first time he was thinking about ways to hurt someone in the defense of someone else since Mischa.

Clarice Starling was changing him.

He led her quietly out of the shower, she still shaking and crying, and had her sit on the bed as he quickly flicked through her things and filled an overnight bag. He helped her put her coat on and guided her out the door and into the elevator.

He shuddered but kept his arms around Clarice and his face emotionless as the box began to descend to the ground floor. When it opened, he let out a breath he hadn't even known he'd been holding, stepped out into the rain, and hailed a taxi.


	16. The Broken Heart Shop

Title: The Birth of Venus

Title: The Birth of Venus

Summary: Clarice Starling has been put on forced temporary leave by the Bureau. When she goes to Florence to track down Lecter, she's put on Il Monstro's hit list. What will happen when the good Doctor finds out?

Disclaimer: Unfortunately, the ownership is not mine of anything in this story but the plotline.

--

Clarice was shaking so severely she couldn't get up the stairs to the door of Hannibal's palazzo. Without a second thought he tipped the cabdriver several euros and gathered her in his arms, carrying her into his home and up the small spiral staircase that led to his room.

He did not look at her body as he helped her take off her dress and put on one of his shirts to wear to bed. She climbed into his four-poster and he covered her with several blankets, stroking her hair until she fell asleep.

He sighed as he turned to the wet dress, realizing it had been totally ruined by the water. He hated to see beautiful things ruined.

Like Clarice.

As he threw the dress into the trash, his mind began wandering once again to the realm of pain he frequented. Clarice had not deserved what Paul had done to her. He recalled thinking, just days ago, that he would need to be eaten.

He would ask Clarice, when she was up to it, if she'd allow him to break his vow and eat Paul. It was only fair.

Hannibal knew Clarice wasn't ruined forever, only temporarily broken. He liked to think that he was a shopkeeper of broken wares that people came to have him fix, except the only customer in his shop was Clarice.

It pleased him to think he could fix her. It gave him more of a purpose than just being the curator of the Capponi Library and one of America's Ten Most Wanted; he, Hannibal Lecter, could help her.

He remembered thinking when he was comforting Clarice that she had totally changed him. Before he'd met her, he never would have given a second glance to a woman sobbing her eyes out in a shower, even if she was one he'd previously seen socially.

She'd saved his life before, and tonight she'd done it again. He wondered idly if he'd changed her, too. Not many women were seen courting men they knew to be dangerous cannibals, after all.

Clarice Starling and Hannibal Lecter.

Stranger things have happened.


	17. Breaking the Rules

Title: The Birth of Venus

Title: The Birth of Venus

Summary: Clarice Starling has been put on forced temporary leave by the Bureau. When she goes to Florence to track down Lecter, she's put on Il Monstro's hit list. What will happen when the good Doctor finds out?

Disclaimer: Unfortunately, the ownership is not mine of anything in this story but the plotline.

--

Clarice slowly opened her eyes, blinking in the bright, muffled light of the morning. She rolled over to discover a huge bay window covered by white linen curtains. The light was attempting to squeeze through them.

She wondered where she was for a second before remembering the previous night and buried her face in the pillows, groaning.

"How are you feeling?"

Clarice turned to her other side and saw Hannibal standing in the doorway, staring at her. Sh shrugged. "Fine, I suppose."

He crossed the threshold and sat very still on the corner of her bed and tilted his head, gazing at her expectantly.

She scowled. "Not fine."

He nodded. "There's a bag of your things on the bathroom counter. Take a shower. I'll make breakfast." He left the room just as suddenly as he'd entered.

Clarice stumbled into the bathroom and turned on the water, scalding hot, so she could burn off Paul Krendler's touch. She made sure to pay special attention to her hair, as Hannibal had always seemed to like the clean smell of it.

When she got out she went through her overnight bag. He'd pulled out some underthings, a pair of worn khakis, her favorite scuffed leather clogs, and a plain black tank top.

She suddenly understood that during the two seconds it had taken him to pull out her clothes last night, he'd decided against taking her more expensive, tasteful clothes and instead brought the ones she felt most comfortable in. She appreciated the gesture immensely.

As she tugged on the shirt, she was startled to think that maybe, perhaps, she'd changed him. Of course, that was a preposterous thought. Clarice Starling, change the always-feared Hannibal Lecter? Please. She'd have a better chance of changing Ted Bundy.

She slipped on her clogs and went downstairs into the kitchen, where she found him hunched over the stove. "Good morning."

"Good morning," he answered, doling two helpings of frittata onto each of their plates. He took two pieces of toast out of the toaster and set them on the plates as well before placing them on the table. "Breakfast is ready."

"I see," she noted, sitting down. Then, "Thank you for last night."

He brushed off her gratitude as he joined her. "Think nothing of it, Clarice."

"No, really," she persisted. "Thank you. Very much."

He looked at her as she continued.

"I know I was a mess. I know you took care of me, and I'm hugely grateful." She exhaled and concluded with another, "Thank you."

He let her take a few bites of egg before asking, "I think you remember the rule you made for me before?"

She barely glanced at him. "You can break it."

His answer was a scheming grin.

--

A/N: I think Ted Bundy was after Clarice's time (NOT SURE THOUGH), so this is a preemptive strike against you adorable nitpicky people who might pick up on the TB ref. I said at the beginning that it's currently the present time. Not Hannibal-era.

So sh.

XD


	18. Similarities

Title: The Birth of Venus

Title: The Birth of Venus

Summary: Clarice Starling has been put on forced temporary leave by the Bureau. When she goes to Florence to track down Lecter, she's put on Il Monstro's hit list. What will happen when the good Doctor finds out?

Disclaimer: Unfortunately, the ownership is not mine of anything in this story but the plotline.

--

Clarice looked around her room for something to wear. The Doctor had suggested she move in with him during her stay in Florence, and she'd complied, feeling oddly euphoric about the whole thing. Hannibal had certainly changed her, she thought.

He'd asked her to dress as she would for a formal dinner, and he'd bought her a new dress for the occasion. She finally spied it hanging on the back of her bedroom door and took it down.

As she put it on, she contemplated on how quickly she'd agreed to him killing Paul Krendler. She didn't feel a bit remorseful about it, and while she was pleased the stupid fuck would finally be dead, she was also frightened. She didn't want to become a killer as well. She had morals, scruples - though, she reflected, so did Hannibal. While they were certainly not the same, his were in fact very similar to her own. Hurting those who hurt others, doing public services – though their definitions varied – were among both of theirs.

And just as her father figured largely in her value system, so too did Mischa in Hannibal's. That's where they both got their senses of justice from, their families.

They were awfully similar, she thought as she looked at herself in the mirror.

The dress was black, a deeply décolleté halter-top. The hem came down to about her knees, and the slit on the right side came all the way up her thigh.

She noticed a pair of black Gucci pumps next to the door and slid them on, instantly growing about two inches. She smiled. She'd be almost as tall as he was in these.

She daubed a little Chanel No. 5 behind her ears and wrists before heading downstairs.

--

A/N: I stole part of a line and parts of the dress from the movie. Shoes too. First person who guesses what line it was gets a cookie.


	19. The Tongue of a Liar

Title: The Birth of Venus

Title: The Birth of Venus

Summary: Clarice Starling has been put on forced temporary leave by the Bureau. When she goes to Florence to track down Lecter, she's put on Il Monstro's hit list. What will happen when the good Doctor finds out?

Disclaimer: Unfortunately, the ownership is not mine of anything in this story but the plotline.

--

Clarice entered the dining room, looked at the long, well-polished table, and waited for the Doctor to appear.

He did, a few moments later, carrying a chilled bottle of wine and a corkscrew. "Good evening, Clarice."

"Good evening. Thank you for the dress, it's wonderful."

"I thought you might like it."

"I assume you like it too."

"Very much so," he said, glancing her up and down. "Please, sit down."

He pulled out a chair for her and she sat.

"I think our dinner is about done," he said, pouring them each a glass of wine. "Excuse me for a moment."

He disappeared into the kitchen and came out with a large covered platter. Back in, and out with a smaller one.

He uncovered the larger one first and placed several dishes across the length of the table. As he set them down, he said each of their names.

_Clank._

"Thymus."

_Clank._

"Kidneys."

_Clank._

"Liver."

_Clank._

"And last but not least, that unforgivably offensive tongue."

He set that one out with a flourish.

Hannibal stepped back and watched Clarice absorb it all.

Then she said, in quite a calm voice, "So if I go into the kitchen, should I expect to find Paul Krendler's corpse lying on the counter, ribs spread wide open?"

"Yes," he answered simply.

There was silence as Clarice struggled to maintain her internal equilibrium. Finally she looked him gravely in the eye. "Thank you."

He went over to her and kissed her hand. "It was no trouble, Clarice, let me assure you."

She straightened up. "Well, then. I don't suppose you expect me to eat him too, do you?"

Hannibal grinned, showing his small teeth. "While I think it would be rather amusing if you did, I did prepare a separate dish for you, yes."

He took the lid off of the second platter and set the dish in front of Clarice.

"_Pasta a calamari_."

She smiled. "_Graze mile_."

"_Prego_," he responded, delighted.

The meal was the best either of them could remember having in a long time.

--

A/N: Haha. Hate Paul Krendler. XD


	20. Pygmalion & Galatea

Sandro paced around the room

Title: The Birth of Venus

Summary: Clarice Starling has been put on forced temporary leave by the Bureau. When she goes to Florence to track down Lecter, she's put on Il Monstro's hit list. What will happen when the good Doctor finds out?

Disclaimer: Unfortunately, the ownership is not mine of anything in this story but the plotline.

--

Sandro paced around the room.

He paced and paced and paced and paced for two days, never sleeping, his expression an unchanging one of immense thought and concentration.

Finally he departed from his reverie and made his way into his studio.

The Dottore had possibilities, is what he'd last thought to get to the lovely woman – the Clarice with the copper hair.

He stood in front of a large, sheet-covered object. Bits of clay, photographs of the dead girls and carving tools littered the area around it.

He took a stainless steel bowl from the ground next to the object and brought it to the sink, still thinking as he filled it with water.

He could kidnap the Dottore and bring him here, to his home. But in his own way, Sandro felt that the Dottore was much more dangerous than he let on. Perhaps taking the Dottore was not the right idea.

Taking _out_ the Dottore, however… there was an idea.

His mouth twitched in anticipation.

The beautiful couple often went on long walks in the parks, and it was not that hard to find out when they were going to next as he worked for the Dottore. What if he took him out – he refused to kill him out of respect, but perhaps a tranquilizer would do – and then kidnapped Clarice?

The bowl overflowed, startling him. He turned off the water and walked back to the object, stripping off the sheet to reveal a lovely statue of a woman.

He smiled as he moistened Mirella's face. He was truly a genius.

--

A/N: OKAY, GUYS. This is all I've written thus far. I've hit a bit of writer's block. Send me good vibes and thoughts, critiques, reviews, all that jazz.

Send me jokes. XD

I'll update as soon as I can!


	21. Capture the Flag

Title: The Birth of Venus

Summary: Clarice Starling has been put on forced temporary leave by the Bureau. When she goes to Florence to track down Lecter, she's put on Il Monstro's hit list. What will happen when the good Doctor finds out?

Disclaimer: Unfortunately, the ownership is not mine of anything in this story but the plotline.

---

Clarice and the doctor walked down the path, admiring the silver gleam of the flowers in the moonlight and discussing whatever caught their fancy – politics, guns, cooking, Clarice's childhood. Clarice had learned by trial and error not to mention Hannibal's, so it was just hers they were currently discussing. It was a subject of great interest to Doctor Lecter.

"So," he continued, "did you ever find out what happened to your sister?"

Clarice nodded slightly. "She left her foster family when she turned fifteen and traveled around the world for a bit before she realized she couldn't get very far without money. Put herself through law school by becoming a prostitute…"

"I imagine it must have been quite a lucrative business if she looks anything like you."

She gave him a sidelong glance. "I think I should take that as a compliment."

He laughed. "Yes."

A rustle in the bushes caught his attention, and he turned around quickly enough to see the dart speeding towards him and shove Clarice out of the way.

_Thud._

Clarice managed to draw her gun before a similar dart hit her as well.

_Thud._

-

Sandro stepped out of the shrubbery and stared at his prize. He checked her face for bruises – not a one. He congratulated himself for being so proficient in his newfound craft, then made sure the Dottore was still breathing. Shallow, but steady.

He made the Dottore comfortable on a nearby bench before packing Clarice into a box and carting her off.

---

**A/N:** Finally, the moment everyone was waiting for! Clarice gets kidnapped! Woo-hoo!

Lol.

Anyway, in the deleted scenes it was implied that Il Monstro was one of the caretaker dudes at the museum, so that's where I got the idea. Lecter totally knows that it's him – but as he didn't think he'd go after Clarice, left his criminal activity unfettered. :) We'll see Hannibal display his knowledge of Il Monstro's crimes in the next chapters.

Also, I did make Clarice have a sister… she's only mentioned in idle passing, though, so don't worry. It was all for filler.

And to SheriLovingLecter, no, this is not one of those fics where Hannibal dies. I couldn't write that!

Thanks for the reviews, and enjoy!


	22. Start the Auction at Murder

Title: The Birth of Venus

Summary: Clarice Starling has been put on forced temporary leave by the Bureau. When she goes to Florence to track down Lecter, she's put on Il Monstro's hit list. What will happen when the good Doctor finds out?

Disclaimer: Unfortunately, the ownership is not mine of anything in this story but the plotline.

---

Hannibal woke when the dawn air was becoming cold and misty. He shook his head.

_Clarice._

He removed the dart from his leg and studied it. A standard animal tranquilizer. Pretty smooth for a psychopathic art lover. He wondered if the dose had been too much for Clarice – then shook his head. As if Sandro would have allowed his newest sculpture to be harmed before he got a look at her.

He tested out his legs and stood up, walking very slowly and in short bursts. As soon as he'd regained control of himself, he strode silently towards his apartment.

There were some things he'd need to collect before he went after Il Monstro. And if so much as a hair on Clarice's head had been harmed, _aiuto Sandro Bortellaga, custode del dio alla biblioteca di Capponi._

_---_

**A/N: **I used one of the online translators, so hopefully it means, "God help Sandro Bortellaga, Custodian at the Capponi Library." I liked it in Italian for the fic better.


	23. Fresh Hell

Title: The Birth of Venus

Summary: Clarice Starling has been put on forced temporary leave by the Bureau. When she goes to Florence to track down Lecter, she's put on Il Monstro's hit list. What will happen when the good Doctor finds out?

Disclaimer: Unfortunately, the ownership is not mine of anything in this story but the plotline.

---

Clarice woke groggily. She hadn't a clue who'd taken her, but she knew that he'd snuck up on Hannibal, and that meant at the very least he was silent… and possibly deadly. She cursed her brain for waking itself up with a cliché and cracked open one slitted eye.

She saw a tall, sheet-covered figure in the center of the dim room. Sunlight struggled to pierce through the thick drop cloth that served as a shade. Pictures littered the floor along with bits of clay and puddles of water.

All the blood was rushing to her head. She felt cold.

Clarice realized that not only was she awake in an unknown space, but she'd been tied upside-down and naked to one of the faux Roman columns that lined the walls.

_What fresh hell…?_

She struggled fruitlessly at her bonds for a few moments before giving up and reviewing the facts in front of her.

Firstly, she was intensely self-conscious. Only that wasn't a fact, it was an emotion. Remain detached! Okay. So. Judging by the clutter in the room, she'd been kidnapped by an artist. A psychopathic artist?

Suddenly she remembered the Wanted posters she'd seen in the area. The Questura were looking for a man they called Il Monstro – he killed lovers as they walked in the park and, as Hannibal had pointed out to her just the other day, arranged them in the manner of Botecelli paintings.

But if he was indeed the one who'd taken her, it meant he'd changed his modus operandi. From murder to kidnapping… it seemed as though he was regressing rather than moving forward. Although it could mean that she had something only she could give him.

She shuddered.

_Hannibal…_


	24. Used and Useful

Title: The Birth of Venus

Summary: Clarice Starling has been put on forced temporary leave by the Bureau. When she goes to Florence to track down Lecter, she's put on Il Monstro's hit list. What will happen when the good Doctor finds out?

Disclaimer: Unfortunately, the ownership is not mine of anything in this story but the plotline.

---

Sandro walked into the room and saw that the woman was awake. "Clarice," he said, rolling the name over in his mouth as he crossed the floor to stroke her face.

She looked puzzled, her lips pressed together. "How do you know my name?"

"I am acquainted with someone who seems to be a mutual friend of ours," he responded in perfect English.

She filed his bilingualism away for further investigation. "Oh? Who might that be?"

"Dottore Fell," he responded.

Clarice's mind spun. Surely Hannibal hadn't set her up for Il Monstro? Surely she hadn't been _used_?

Sandro, noticing how red her face was, mistook her expression for one of uncomfortability. "Oh. I apologize." He cut her down from the column, keeping her wrists and ankles bound, and tied her back to the column right side up. "There.

"_Graze_."

"_Prego_." He seemed pleased. "So, Clarice –"

"Why do you do that?" she interrupted.

He seemed puzzled. "Do what?"

"The way you say my name…"

He smiled. "Observant. I like it very much, that is all."

"Oh." She thought it over. "Continue."

"I assume you must be curious about why you're here."

"Rather. And why I'm naked, while you're at it."

He seemed offended. "Nude."

"Excuse me?"

"Nude," he corrected a little snappishly, "not naked. Naked is for whores. Nude is for sculptures and beautiful works of art."

Clarice raised an eyebrow. "I am neither."

"Oh, _carina_," he said, "then you have not been talking to the right people." He ran a hand lovingly over the swell of one pale breast.

It was her turn to look offended. "I talk to one person, Il Monstro, and it seems that he has been more of a boon to you than to me."

---

A/N: Poor Clarice! So, do you think she's been used?


End file.
